procedure

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A manner of proceeding; a way of performing or effecting something: standard procedure.
2. n. A series of steps taken to accomplish an end: a medical procedure; evacuation procedures.
3. n. A set of established forms or methods for conducting the affairs of an organized body such as a business, club, or government.
4. n. Computer Science A set of instructions that performs a specific task; a subroutine or function.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of proceeding or moving forward; progress.
2. n. Manner of proceeding or acting; a course or mode of action; conduct.
3. n. A step taken; an act performed; a proceeding.
4. n. That which proceeds from something; product.
5. n. The modes, collectively, of conducting business, especially deliberative business; specifically, in law, the modes of conduct of litigation and judicial business, as distinguished from that branch of the law which gives or defines rights. It includes practice, pleading, and evidence.
6. n. Synonyms Proceeding, Operation, etc. See process.

Wiktionary

1. n. A particular method for performing a task.
2. n. A series of small tasks or steps taken to accomplish an end.
3. n. uncountable The set of established forms or methods of an organized body for accomplishing a certain task or tasks.
4. n. The steps taken in an action or other legal proceeding.
5. n. obsolete That which results; issue; product.
6. n. computing A subroutine or function coded to perform a specific task.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act or manner of proceeding or moving forward; progress; process; operation; conduct.
2. n. A step taken; an act performed; a proceeding; the steps taken in an action or other legal proceeding.
3. n. obsolete That which results; issue; product.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
2. n. a process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work
3. n. a mode of conducting legal and parliamentary proceedings
4. n. a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program